CHIPS Articles: For Fleet and Force: Science Solutions, from Cyber to the Skies

For Fleet and Force: Science Solutions, from Cyber to the Skies

By David Smalley, Office of Naval Research
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November 21, 2017

ARLINGTON, Va. — An engineer steps into the cockpit of an FA-18 Super Hornet in Norfolk, Virginia.
Meanwhile, another launches a huge parasail from the back of a patrol craft off the coast of Florida, complete with an intelligence package that gives the ship's commanding officer beyond-line-of-sight information.

And yet another works with her peers in Scotland on the latest unmanned autonomous platforms.

These are the science advisors (SAs) from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global. And they play a key role in today's naval technology — connecting the warfighter to cutting-edge capabilities in the air, at sea, on land and in the information/cyber domain.

"These men and women augment the eyes and ears of the fleet and force," said Rear Adm. David Hahn, chief of naval research, "connecting new technology to the warfighters, across the country and around the world."

All of the above examples are real. And the work doesn't stop — two more examples include pivotal experiments during the Bold Alligator exercise, held last month at Camp Pendleton, North Carolina; and assisting with an upcoming demonstration of AACUS, the Unmanned Aerial Cargo Utility System, designed to provide autonomous flight capabilities to helicopters.

A new video is being released today, bringing viewers into the science advisor's fast-paced world. Viewers can see how each advisor is embedded with a Navy or Marine Corps staff or command, aligning technology with naval priorities; accelerating new technologies to Sailors and Marines; and informing ONR where new operational research is needed.

"There's an urgent need for the work of the science advisors," said Tom Gallagher, director of the SA program at ONR Global. "Being embedded with commands, with Sailors and Marines and at command levels, is essential for both sides of the tech equation.

"It not only helps us understand warfighter needs — which leads to new research and new capabilities — but it also helps us inform naval leadership of technology they might not have known about that is already out there."

The men and women who comprise the SA component usually come from technical or engineering backgrounds, and often have prior experience at naval warfare centers, working on research and development across a wide range of naval warfighting disciplines.

In other words, they're familiar with technology, and not afraid to get their hands dirty — a key factor for someone who will be working daily with different operational forces. Some work with Marine Corps units in the field, others on surface ships or submarines, while others focus on cyber warfare or naval aviation.

"The new video being released this month from ONR really does a good job of capturing what makes the science advisor tick," said Gallagher. "It takes a combination of engineering and subject matter expertise, mixed with the energy that comes from working with the fleet and force every day, and topped off with a healthy dose of good, old-fashioned patriotism — these folks love that what they do is an asset to national security."

Science advisors typically serve a maximum of two tours, each tour up to three years long, before going on to other jobs. The experience, they say, stays with you — and they grow professionally and personally from the role.

"Being a science advisor is an incredible experience," says Dr. Marcus Tepaske, science advisor to Fleet Forces Command. "It puts you out there as a central voice of technology within the fleet — you work on everything from artillery to aircraft carriers, cognition to cyber, and lasers to landing craft, improving capabilities for our naval forces."

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